1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a manner by which to authenticate a mobile station in a cellular, or other radio, communication system, such as a 3G (Third Generation) system having an IP (Internet Protocol)—core network and one or more access networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, and an associated method, by which to provide authentication-related information to a core network, and an authentication center connected thereto, to be used pursuant to authentication procedures to authenticate the mobile station. The information is contained in one or more fields of a signaling protocol message used in the communication system to communicate at least between the access network and the IP-core network. When SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) messages are communicated between the access and core networks, a field is added to an SIP invite, or other, message, and populated with the information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A communication system is operable to communicate data between a sending station and a receiving station upon a communication channel. Data to be communicated by the sending station to the receiving station is converted, if necessary, into a form to permit communication of the data upon the communication channel to be detected, subsequently, at the receiving station. Subsequent to detection of the data at the receiving station, the receiving station operates to recover the informational content of the data.
Advancements in communication technologies have permitted the development, and implementation, of many different types of communication systems. Different types of communication systems provide, for instance, variously half-simplex, half-duplex, and full duplex communication schemes. Pursuant to such various communication systems, the data to be communicated by the sending station to the receiving station is communicated in electrical form by way of wire line connections interconnecting the sending and receiving stations, as well as in electromagnetic form by way of radio links formed between the sending and receiving stations.
A communication system in which the data to be communicated between the sending and receiving station is converted into electromagnetic form to be communicated upon communication channels defined upon a radio link extending between the sending and receiving stations is referred to as a radio communication system. In contrast to a conventional wire line communication system which requires electrical connections to be formed between the sending and receiving stations, a radio communication system is inherently mobile. That is to say, because radio links, rather than wire line connections, interconnect the sending and receiving stations, the sending and receiving stations need not be positioned in fixed locations, connected to the wire lines interconnecting the sending and receiving stations, to permit communications to be effectuated therebetween.
A cellular communication system is a type of radio communication system which has achieved wide levels of usage and which has been installed throughout extensive portions of the world. Successive generations of cellular communication systems have been developed. Reference is commonly made to at least three generations of cellular communication systems. A so-called, first-generation, cellular communication system generally refers to a cellular communication system which utilizes an analog modulation technique. An AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service) cellular communication system is exemplary of a first-generation cellular communication system. A so-called, second-generation, cellular communication system typically refers to a cellular communication system which utilizes a digital, multiple-access communication scheme. A GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) cellular communication system and an IS-95 (Interim Standard-1995), CDMA (Codes-Division, Multiple-Access) cellular communication system are each exemplary of a second generation cellular communication system.
Third-generation, cellular communication systems are presently under development. Third-generation, cellular communication systems refer generally to cellular communication systems intended to provide universal communication services, including the effectuation of data services, voice services, and multi-media services. Proposals for third-generation, cellular communication systems generally provide for IP (Internet Protocol)-formatted data. At least one such proposal provides for an IP-core network to which access networks are connectable. The access networks may also include a third-generation network, as well as one or more legacy networks.
A legacy network is a network operable pursuant to a second, or even first, generation, cellular communication standard. When a mobile station commences registration procedures or initiates origination of a communication session, signaling is effectuated with the access network with which the mobile station is operable. Authentication procedures must be carried out to authenticate the identity of the mobile station. Authentication data are exchanged between the mobile station and the core network at which an authentication center associated with the mobile station is coupled. Information must be provided to the core network of the authentication request in order to permit the authentication procedures to be carried out properly.
As access networks operable pursuant to different standards are anticipated to be connected to a single core network, the core network must be capable of supporting authentication procedures to mobile stations requesting authentication by any of the access networks.
A manner is, therefore, required by which to provide the necessary information to the core network to facilitate the effectuation of authentication procedures to authenticate the mobile station.
It is in light of this background information related to authentication of a mobile station in a cellular communication system that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.